Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Irm is again adding and improving the railroad infrastructure.  The contractors are again here extending the future trolley loop and constructing the last two leads in yard fifteen.   All together this will give us about 2000' more  storage track.     As you can see from these pictures all this material is new.   It doesn't pay to purchase used ties anymore.   In the next three weeks all the rail and ties will be inserted and four new switches constructed.  Beautiful is it not!!  As you can see by the dates on the pictures this project started August 17th, 2016 but because of my involvement with Thomas I am just now posting them.    Before this construction began Dave Diamond and crew excavated and graded the sub surface to met all local codes.  Here are the results.  Beautiful track work!More construction photos next time.  Look for ballast being added  and then being tamped and surfaced.    Yes,  I can see the next questions already.... When is the next barn, 15, going to be built, right?    Well,  as I have said many times before...  Send in your donations to this new fund call Barn 15.   That will quickly add to the fund.      Thanks     Roger  

An another historic diesel arrived on our interchange Wednesday, August 17, 2016.  This is, indeed, a very unusual and old locomotive.    Built in 1930 for Armco steel and used at their Butler, Pennsylvania steel mill, this diesel, to say the least, is a little different looking!   In 1929 this carbody design was introduced by Westinghouse.  These cab units were constructed between 1929 and 1937.  This semi-hood car body was called at that time the "visibility cab."  B-T-W  do any of you recall another Armco steel locomotive at IRM? Our unit, B 71 was last operated in1973 where it had a 300hp. 8 1/4 X12 engine in the frame.   A special thanks goes out to NICK KALLAS for saving the engine for Irm.   Like many of us, he spent his own time and money to load  B-71 on a flat car. He also arranged for the rental cranes,  to lift the unit on a flat car and then even arranged for shipment to Irm.  This is no easy matter especially considering Nick is a senior citizen over the age of retirement!   Nice job Nick!  You should be commended for all your efforts!   Do you wonder why its rusty looking?   It sat up north in Minnesota for many years waiting  its turn for restoration but because of other responsibilities the museum could not devote the time and money to do the job.  Here is where you can now help.  Please consider donating to the B 71 fund so that we may begin repainting and restoring this historical old diesel.    Yes, the answer to the above question is......    N&W 2050, our huge 2-8-8-2 steam locomotive, it was located at another Armco steel mill in Middleton, Ohio.   I know this because I saw it there.   Four of us were making an inspection on that steamer many years ago.   The four "young lads" on that trip were Tom Schneider, Dave Conrad, Dennis Daugherty and myself.    Thanks    Roger